FAQ

Northwest Tea Tours

What physical shape should I be in?
Our tours are designed for women of all ages and fitness levels. In most cases, the amount of walking or other activity involved is completely up to you. When exploring a town, some folks will want to walk the whole area, while others may be content to visit just a few shops.

Are children/teens allowed?
Our tours are not designed for children, but we do not mind having well-behaved children join us.

Who will I be traveling with?
The average age of our travelers is 60, and most women who join us are between 40-75 years old. They are empty-nesters, students, retirees, and professionals from all walks of life. They are single, married, partnered, or widowed. Mothers and daughters, sisters or friends often join us as a pair. Some women travel with us because their husbands don't enjoy or have time for travel, or have very different interests. Occasionally, men join our tour as well, accompanying their wife or daughter.

How many tour participants will I travel with?
Our tours are limited to 14 people, which includes your tour directors. The small size also gives us the ability to occasionally alter our plans to adapt for the weather or a new venue we discover along the way. We want you to feel like you are traveling with a group of friends, which is not possible with large tour groups.

How much more money will I need to bring with me?
Other than shopping you will only need money for a light lunch along the way, keeping in mind that we will have a full afternoon tea in the afternoon, usually around 3:30.

What should I bring wear and/or bring along?
We recommend wearing casual, comfortable clothing, and dressing in layers. Most NW tours will take place, at least partially, outside and the weather can change quickly. We always recommend bringing both a rain jacket and sunglasses, and perhaps an umbrella if the forecast suggests rain.

What about the payment?
Payment is due at the time of reserving your spot on a NW Tea Tour. With at least 7 days notice of cancellation, we will process a full refund. Cancellations within 4 to 7 days will be given a store/restaurant credit, and less than 3 days will receive a store/restaurant credit of 50%.

What if I have food restrictions/requirements?

We are able to accommodate vegetarians and nut allergy requests. Gluten-free and vegan meals are not available at this time. Please call us to inquire if you have any concerns.

Multi-Day Tea Tours

What physical shape should I be in?
Our tours are designed for women of all ages and fitness levels. However, you should be able to walk up to 5 miles per day. We will rarely walk that far, but in order to enjoy all the activities, you will definitely need to do a lot of walking. If you are already walking 10,000 steps a day, you will have no problem keeping up. If you find yourself tiring, you can use a taxi (at your own expense) to meet us at the next tour venue.

What age should I be?
We allow women as young as 10, and there is no upper limit, as long as you are in good health and are able to keep up with the rest of the group. Women under 21 years of age should be accompanied by and room with a traveling companion.

How many tour participants will I travel with?
Our tours are limited to 14 people, which includes your tour directors. We limit the number of guests on our tours so that we can get into smaller venues (like tea rooms!) and stay in boutique hotels . The small size also gives us the ability to occasionally alter our plans to adapt for the weather or a new venue we discover along the way. We want you to feel like you are traveling with a group of friends, which is not possible with large tour groups.

I am traveling alone - do I need to pay extra for a single?
Not unless you require a private room. If you would like to share a room with another woman traveler, you do not need to pay the single supplement. We will match you with another unpaired traveler, usually on a rotating basis.

Do your tours include airfare?
We do not include airfare to get to the destination in the cost of our tours. Because women from all over the US travel with us, there is no convenient place for all of us to meet before the tour. Some women wish to travel on their preferred airline to either earn or use frequent flyer miles.

How much more money will I need to bring on this trip?
You will need money for dinners and snacks, alcoholic beverages, tipping the local guides and drivers on tours (when it is not included), and tipping cab drivers for personal rides not part of the tour. You’ll also want money for gifts and souvenirs and theater tickets (London). Other things not covered in the tour price are: - airfare to the tour starting point, single supplement for a private room (optional) , travel insurance, customs fees, excess luggage fees, personal expenses (telephone charges, laundry expenses, etc.)

Should I insure my trip?
We highly recommend travel insurance in case you need to unexpectedly cancel your trip, miss your flight, lose your luggage or have a medical emergency during the trip.

What should I pack?
Each tour has packing suggestions listed in its FAQ. For all trips, bring comfortable clothing and shoes in a “business casual” style. Jeans are not very comfortable to travel in, and workout wear is too casual to fit in with most tea rooms. Don’t forget sunglasses and a light rain coat too! Speaking of packing, see our travel store for some of our favorite products from clothing to day bags and packing organizers to books.

What about the payment?
We request a deposit to hold your reservation. The payment schedule for each trip is shown on its overview page. We do not take credit or debit cards due to the high processing fee we must pass on to you, so just mail us a check for your payments.

Can you help me with other travel arrangements?
Gladly! We would be delighted to assist you in finding the best airfare, train connection, local tours or convenient hotel accommodations to extend your trip. Contact us with your wishes, and we'll do our best to make your travel dreams come true.

What if I want to do a tea tour on my own?
We would be happy to work with you on planning and arranging an unescorted tea tour of any of the areas we have done tea tours in. Give us a call to discuss your needs!

What if I have a group of people who want to do a tea tour?
We can create a custom escorted tea tour just for your group. If you have 8-12 participants, we will meet you at the tours starting location and provide your group the same level of service we do on our scheduled tours. Call us to discuss your ideas!